Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. This one-shot was written by my best friend.
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I was in the library, a glorious one with nooks and crannies to curl up and hide away in and books that looked as old as the castle itself. It had fireplaces and desks and lamps, the whole shebang, but one thing was missing for me. Normally, whenever I would enter a library I would head straight for the social sciences to find the coolest looking book on humanity and psychology. Sadly, this library had no section on the humanities. This left me with only history books since they were the closest things. I looked from the bottom to the top of the three story high endless row of shelves on the history of magic and sighed. Where to begin? Maybe I should just do my homework.
I found a book that pertained to a paper I had to write and sat down. As I began taking notes someone touched my shoulder.
"Excuse me, but I think you forgot this." I turned around to look at a folded up piece of paper. It was a note Talons had written and given to me in the hall between classes; it was the only way we could freak out together about everything until meal times.
"Oh! It is. Thank you so much, you're a life⦠saver." I looked up to a tall boy, a fifth year by the looks of him, with sandy hair and small scars on his face. Remus Lupin. Well this should be interesting.
"It's no problem I was just in the same section as you and I saw you drop it," he said with a shy smile. "So, you're one of the new girls that showed up right? The home-schooled ones?"
"Oh, yeah. That's me." Genius, Gen. You are so articulate. He's just a guy, and he just wants to talk.
"So how do you like it here? You're in Gryffindor aren't you?"
"Um, no. I'm a Hufflepuff; you're thinking of my friend, Tal- I mean Jayce. She's a fifth year." Better, now just keep it simple. He's just a person. He's just a boy. NO don't think that. Just a person in a library, and it's ok, and man, I wish Talons were here; I can't do all this by myself, all this talking and conversing and stuff. I just wanted to read a book!
While I was ranting to myself, I didn't notice Remus Lupin had taken the seat across from me. He had set his books down and hung his bag on the chair, planning to continue the conversation. This was not something I had anticipated. I mean, if it had been any other random person or professor, I could have handled it, but no. It was Remus Lupin, the Marauder I had the biggest crush on ever. Seriously, he was my favorite character of the whole series.
"Sorry, I'm no good with names which doesn't help when it comes to subjects like history," he nodded to my open book. "But I was kept home a lot too when I was growing up. That is until I came here. Anyway, are you fitting in well?" He seemed genuinely interested in me and that threw me off since he seemed very reserved and private in the books.
"Oh yeah! Everyone's very kind and welcoming and patient. I'm not at all used to such a big school, and I get turned around a lot." My mind flashed back to last week when I accidentally went with Talons to her Transfiguration class, which had ended with me being very late to Herbology. Thankfully, Professor Sprout is the head of Hufflepuff and understood. Nevertheless, my face turned beat red right in front of Remus Lupin.
"I'm glad to hear it. Do you mind if I study here as well?" It looked like he already had decided that he would as he had pulled out his books and notes and was already writing, but I said it was fine.
Thank you God for distracting him from my red face, and thank the stars that Talons isn't here 'cause she would be making fun of my face.
We both finished our work within the hour in easy silence, then the unimaginable happened. He asked me about books.
"So what were you looking for before you started doing history work? Anything in particular, I could help you out."
"Oh, I was just looking for a specific section, but it's really alright. Not all libraries have it anyway," I said sheepishly. I wasn't sure why I was embarrassed, but I was. Probably because I was talking to REMUS LUPIN.
"Oh really? What specifically? I know this place pretty well. I bet I could find it for you." He seemed so earnest, and cute, and handsome, and calm down Gen.
"Um, a psychology section? You know, social sciences, human behavior, stuff like that?" Again, flustered for no reason at all.
"Hmm. I don't know of one." When he saw my face drop the tiniest bit, he added, "But I'm sure the librarian can help you out somehow." He gave me a smile. Why was he being so nice to me? And where were the rest of his friends anyway?
"Yeah, I'm sure you're right. Don't worry about it, really. It's not a big deal," I said waving it off. "I have my hands full with homework anyway!" OK, now I needed Talons again. Show up out of nowhere, please!
"Hey! Moony!" I heard someone call from the other side of the bookshelves. "What are you doing back there?" I recognized it as Sirius Black's voice and didn't know if I should be nervous or excited. Then I saw Jayce with him preceded by James and Peter and relaxed completely. Maybe Talons and I are telepathic. Waffles, waffles, waffles, waffles, waffles, waffles, waffles. Maybe not.
"Be quiet. It's a library," Remus hissed at him.
James looked around and said sarcastically, "Oh yeah, we are sooo gonna get caught. What with all the people roaming around this oh-so-very interesting part of the library."
"Yeah, Remus. Cool your jets and relax- who's this?" Sirius asked with a sly smile on his face which would have made me blush if I hadn't already known him from Diagon Alley.
Remus Lupin sighed, "This is," he looked at me curiously, "Actually I never did get your name did I?" Shoot.
"I'm Genevieve Tuschet." I squeaked. Why do I have to be this way? Talons help me out.
Talons walked up to me and poked me in the shoulder, "She's my friend. The one I told you guys about. She's in Hufflepuff and a year below us. Gen, this is James, Peter, and you know Sirius."
I waved, feeling better now that I wasn't alone. "It's nice to meet you all."
"So you and Remus are flirting it up I see," James piped up. He looked like the picture of mischief, and the fact that I knew he would outgrow it was the only thing stopping me from glaring at him. Screw age difference and comfort zone, I couldn't stand instigators.
"Shut up, James. You're so annoying," Remus Lupin murmured from behind me. "Why do you have to try to embarrass every underclassman we come across? We were having such a nice conversation," he sounded supremely annoyed, and I felt my heart soar. He liked talking to me! Little fourteen year old me with a lopsided grin and dorky appearance. I wish I were still in college form. Then, at least, we would appear to be in the same level.
I smirked in response to Remus' jibe. Talons gave me a thumbs up from behind James who had hardly noticed the insult from his friend. I smiled at Jayce. I had made a friend.
We heard a bell toll. It must have been time for lunch.
"Do you want to sit with us?" Talons asked me as her eyes lit up. She was clearly way more excited about being here than I was. It's not that I wasn't stoked to be attending Hogwarts, it just didn't seem that different than my life before: awkward in everything and with everyone except Talons who I got along with famously. I'll get comfortable eventually.
"I don't think it's allowed," I said with more confidence as I gathered up my books. "I don't want to cause any more trouble than we already have." I gave her a meaningful look, and she grinned.
"Come one! No one will know-" she looked at my yellow and black apparel compared to her red and gold uniform and stopped short. "Oh, I guess it could cause some attention, huh? Do you have anyone else to sit with though?" She looked worried. She always worried about the dumbest things.
"Sure I do! There's this girl named Francis I have gotten to know kind of well. We talk about Herbology a lot."
"What? No way am I making a friend of a friend sit with a herbologist-dork during lunch when she could be sitting with us." James interjected. "You're sitting with us, and no one cares."
"Well actually I kind of like-"I started but Talons and James had already grabbed me by the elbows and were towing me away. I guess this means we are all friends, now. I looked behind me to find Remus Lupin picking up his things with a small smile on his face. I liked having new friends.
